About The Gone Series Of Books:

Gone is a popular teen series written by the author Michael Grant in 2008. The series is made up of 6 books thus far. The series is based on a fictional town called Perdido Beach. Perdido-Beach is not your average American town. The area is surrounded by an energy barrier that allows the people within it to develop supernatural powers. The strangest of all, is that every human that is above the age of 15, vanishes. The book is based around a character named Sam Temple. Sam is one of the bravest boys in his town of no adults and it is him who saves up the courage to save Perdido Beach in a time of crisis. Sam not only has a keen heart, but also a tough soul. He is a great leader and friend at the same time.

Sam starts out as just a boy but quickly rises to being a man when the time is right. Before Gone, Sam was a happy child at home living with his mother. Yet, at school, Sam was a loner, not belonging to any particular group and having only one real friend, Quinn Gaither. Sam discovered his power of generating light as a young kid. He accidentally burned off his step-fathers hand while defending his mother. Sam was intrigued by his powers but also scared of them and not sure what is was capable of. When Sam was in the seventh grade, his bus driver had a heart attack. Sam, with his unique braveness, took control over the bus, saving the lives of all the kids. After that, Sam became know as “School Bus Sam”. This helped him to become a town leader and respected among to other children. Sam’s character in the Gone series is exciting and likable. He is easily to relate to and by far the most interesting character of the series.

Gone

In the first novel, Gone, when everyone over the age of 15 disappears, the town is put into a chaotic confusion. Sam Temple, a brave young boy with a fierce power to shoot light-beams from his hands, decides to set out on an exploration to find some truth. He brings along with him his two best friends, Quinn Gaither and Astrid Ellison. Together they discover a barrier that is cutting their town off from the outside-world located at a nuclear-power plant. When the three guys return from their exploration, they come across others who also have supernatural-powers, including their friend, Lana Arwen, from Coates Academy. Lana came upon her supernatural powers after being up ducted by a coyote-pack. Sam and his friends bravely helps to save Lana from the coyote pack, but in the process, him and friends are seized by Drake, the antagonist, and imprisoned in the Coates Academy. Sam and the group evade and returned back to Perdido-Beach. There Sam conspires to fight another antagonist, Caine. Caine and Sam fight in town-square. The two boys are both suppose to turn 15 while fighting. The suspense during the fight is intense and what happens next is even more exciting.

Hunger

The second novel is called Hunger. The novel begins by students breaking into the nuclear-plant in order to gain control of Perdido Beach’s electricity. Caine begins receiving-messages from the gaiaphage or Gaia, that is telling him to carry with him a uranium-rod from the plant. Lana, also receives messages, encouraging her to blow-up the mine shaft. Lana fails and becomes controlled by the gaiaphage. When other students try to destroy the mine shaft, they are shot by Lana, and she proves to be a tough girl. The gaiaphage evilly plans to create a body for itself. Sam, and his controller of destiny, go to the mine to fight the-gaiaphage. Sam, once again proves his courage by fighting the gaiaphage with the help of a few others.

Lies

Sam discovers a grave that is occupied by a hurt girl who was punished because of her powers. The grave was originally made for a girl name Brittney who’s body has disappeared. Sam, with his keen wits, discovers that Brittney is indeed living and is in town. After some usual excitement in town, it becomes apparent that the gaiaphage is using Birttney’s immortality and Lana’s healing powers for its own dark endeavors. In this novel, Sam again proves to be a strong boy and shines with his power and braveness.

Plague

Perdido-Beach is no longer run by Sam, but by another boy named Albert Hillborough. Albert introduced the town to capitalism, quickly rising to a position of leadership among the others. Albert sends out Sam, along with his friends, to find water when the town is found to be near drought conditions. The town is infected with a deathly plague that is quickly spreading among the town. Along the way to find water, Sam’s group runs into an old friend, Hunter. Hunter proves to have powers of radiating heat off parasitic creatures. Shortly after meeting Hunter, the group gets led to unusual creatures that are causing parasitic-insect-infections. The group-attacks the parasitic filled creatures but are again confronted by them and their leader Drake.

Fear

Pete, who now has no body, begins to cause chaos when he tampers with people’s DNA. This messes with the inhabitants of the Fallout-Alley-Youth Zone, filling the area with darkness. It is learned that the barrier has connection with the gaiaphage. Members meet at the gaiaphage when they learn that is has plans to open-up the barrier. The courageous Sam attacks the gaiaphage and sunlight returns to the FAYZ. Now, visual communication becomes possible between inhabitants of the zone and the outside-world.

Light

Light is the sixth and last book in the Gone-series. The dome-around the Fallout Zone has become clear and kids and once again interact with their parents. The kids lose-interest in working and it takes Albert to get-them back to work. With the gaiaphage contriving up schemes, Sam and Caine work together find her. When they find her, she defeats them quickly. After some truths are revealed, Sam realizes he may have to sacrifice himself to stop the Gaia.

The series is full of excitement and the courage of the boy Sam is amazing. The rumor is that the series may become a TV show when in July of 2013, the rights were sold to Sony Pictures Television. The release date of the show is unknown at this moment.

Master of the standalone thriller genre, Shari Lapena, is back. Author of The Couple Next Door and A Stranger in the House, An Unwanted Guest is the latest novel by Shari. It takes place in a cozy mountain lodge in Winter where various people are staying for a romantic getaway. A blizzard cuts off the power and any contact with the outside world so everyone settles in for the long haul. Then a guest dies. And another. Knowing Shari's other books, this should be one we'll be reading late into the night. For more details or to pre-order, visit our Shari Lapena page.

Recommendations

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Featured Series

Our book series of the month is the Will Robie Series by David Baldacci. If you like Mitch Rapp, Jack Reacher, Jason Bourne etc then you'll love the Will Robie series. These are page turners to the max too and Baldacci knows how to keep you going all night long!

Featured Author

Bill Wenham is the author of various book series including The Inspector Charrington Mysteries and the Inspector Bruce Mysteries. He just started writing in his 80s to follow a life long dream. It’s an amazing story and the books he has written are pretty great too – his passion really shines through. Read more about Bills books.

Did You Know…

Writer of novels such as The Tenth Justice and Dead Even, Brad Meltzer is quite the busy man as host of his own television show, and as a comic book writer. His work on Justice League of America earned him an Eisner Award.